1. Field of the Invention
Generally this invention relates to the field of anti-condensation devices for preventing the formation of steam, fog, or condensation on glass or a similar surface; specifically to a condensation-free mirror which is self supporting in a shower and is capable of being manually adjusted into different positions during use.
2. Prior Art
Some prior-art mirrors which prevent or remove steam, fog, condensation, or other vision-obscuring moisture in the shower use a blower or baffle system to pass warm air over a glass surface in order to accelerate the evaporation of any fog or steam which is formed on the surface of the glass. Such air systems are not efficient and take a relatively long period of time (minutes rather than seconds) to remove the condensation. Also the moisture usually is removed from one edge of the glass, rather than all at once.
Exhaust fans are becoming fairly standard items for bathrooms, and in some instances they are supplemented by a separate blower unit for directing heated air across the surface of a bathroom mirror, e.g., as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,079 to J. Armbruster (1977) for a bathroom mirror defogger. However users could still us a separate shower mirror since men can obtain a closer, more comfortable shave at the time their beards are softened by the steam and hot water of a shower, while women's skin treatments are best applied in a steamy environment, as well as in front of a mirror.
Resistance wires imbedded in a sheet of plexiglass have been used as an alternative to blowers, but such devices can be dangerous when used in the vicinity of water. Also, the need for electrical power to activate the resistance wires requires the use of batteries or the like.
Water-heated shower mirrors have been proposed, but these have been awkward to install, complicated, and hence expensive, and unreliable in operation.
Anti-fogging mirrors have also been proposed, but these do not operate reliably and require repeated applications of chemical anti-fog coatings.